Tuesday, September 27, 2011

A few bonus miles

 Locals know the East Gallatin River - a productive, fussy brook north of Bozeman and Belgrade.
It seems that the concensus is that the East headwaters where Rocky Creek meets Bridger Creek. I would like to argue otherwise, to ultimately open up a few more miles of this river in the winter (when the East remains open, but Rocky Creek is closed).

The BLM and USGS maps clearly mark it as the East Gallatin up to the confluence of Kelly Creek and Rocky Creek. Moreover, if you search Kelly Creek on Montana Fish WIldlife and Parks' website, it is listed as a tributary to the East Gallatin River. These two things give you enough of an argument to fish up to Kelly Creek year round, even if the residents of Rocky Creek Road (downstream of the confluence of Rocky and Kelly on the EAST GALLATIN) tell you otherwise.
Enjoy, and leave some for me.

3 comments:

Will Jordan said...

It would be nice to have a few extra miles open in the winter. The fishing regulations state that the East is only open up to the confluence with Bozeman Creek... meaning that the very upper portion (even if defining the headwaters as the confluence of Rocky/Bridger)of the East is closed in the winter.

I just realized I haven't wet a line on the East since prior to runoff.

Will Jordan said...

Hmm, looking at your map again... I guess Bozeman Creek comes in above the mouth of Bridger Creek. So, Bozeman Creek is a tributary of Rocky (or the East if that's what it is). I'm confused.

Josh Bergan said...

Well I am arguing that it's the East all the way up to Kelly Creek, so it's the East, to me. So you'd get about an extra mile to fish in the winter anyhow. Maybe everyone already knows that.